Apparatus and method for reducing compressibility of unauthorized copies of color images and video sequences

1. A method of processing an image signal representing at least one image, the image signal having domain components, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the signal to select a redundant area of an image; adding a plurality of compressibility-reducing artifacts to the domain components of a selected area by making a first artifact change in at least one domain component of the selected area; and making at least one other artifact change to at least one other domain component of the selected area such that the artifacts in the selected area are perceptively balanced, whereby balanced artifacts are not perceptible while the processed signal is being displayed, and whereby an image including the artifacts is not readily compressible because the artifacts reduce redundancy in the image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is analyzed for spatial redundancy in an image, and wherein correlated areas are selected as having spatial redundancy.

3. The method of claim 1, the image signal representing a plurality of images, wherein the signal is analyzed for temporal redundancy in the plurality of images, and wherein the artifacts are inserted into a selected area of one image, but not a correlated area of another image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected areas are also analyzed for minimal detail, whereby areas having minimal detail and redundancy are selected.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the domain components are part of a domain in which luminance and chrominance components are separated.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first artifact change includes making intensity changes in the luminance component of the selected area; and wherein the at least one other artifact change includes making saturation changes in the chrominance component of the selected area to perceptively balance the change in intensity of the luminance component of the selected area.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of analyzing the signal includes the steps of looking for minimal detail in the luminance component of the image; and looking for minimal detail in the chrominance components of the image if minimal detail in the luminance component is not found.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the artifact changes include selecting an artifact pattern having a luminance component and a chrominance component; matching hue of the artifact pattern with hue of the selected area; adjusting intensity of the luminance component of the artifact pattern to fit within the selected area; and changing saturation of the hue of the artifact pattern to fit within the selected area.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein selecting the area and making the artifact changes include the steps of: picking a candidate area; identifying redundancy in the candidate area selecting a redundant area having relatively constant hue and saturation; changing intensity of the luminance component of the selected area such that the first artifact is introduced into the luminance component of the selected area; and changing the saturation of the color component in the portion to balance out the change in intensity of the luminance component in the selected area.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the domain components are in the RGB domain, and wherein the artifact changes are made to at least two components of the RBG domain.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the artifact changes include changing intensities of the RGB components such that they are perceptively balanced when displayed.

12. Apparatus for processing an image signal, the apparatus comprising: means for analyzing the image signal to find redundant areas of an image represented by the image signal; means for selecting redundant areas having minimal detail; and means for adding compressibility-reducing artifacts to at least two domain components of a selected area by making a first artifact change in at least one domain component of the selected area; and making a second artifact change in at least one other domain component of the selected area such that the artifacts are perceptively balanced.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the signal is analyzed for spatial redundancy in an image, and wherein correlated areas are selected as having spatial redundancy.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, the image signal representing a plurality of images, wherein the signal is analyzed for temporal redundancy in the plurality of images, and wherein the artifacts are inserted into a selected area of one image, but not a correlated area of another image.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the artifact changes include making intensity changes in a luminance component of the selected area; and wherein the at least one other artifact change includes making saturation changes in a chrominance component of the selected area to balance out the intensity changes in the luminance component of the selected area.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the artifact changes include selecting an artifact pattern having a luminance component and a chrominance component; matching hue of the artifact pattern with hue of the selected area; adjusting intensity of the luminance component of the artifact pattern to fit within the selected area; and changing saturation of the hue of the artifact pattern to fit within the selected area.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the area is selected and the artifact changes are made by picking a candidate area; identifying redundancy in the candidate area; selecting a redundant area having relatively constant hue and saturation; making intensity changes in the luminance component of the selected area; and making saturation changes in at least one chrominance component to balance the intensity changes in the luminance component.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus includes a digital signal processor for analyzing the signal, selecting the redundant areas, and adding the compressibility-reducing artifacts.

19. Apparatus comprising: means for providing an encoded signal; a decoder responsive to an output of the means for providing the encoded signal; and a processor operable to pick a candidate area of the image, analyze the candidate image for redundancy, select a redundant area having minimal detail, generate compressibility-reducing artifacts for a luminance component and at least one chrominance component of the selected area; and add the artifacts to the luminance and chrominance components of the selected area, the artifacts being added to the components of the selected area such that the artifacts are perceptively canceled when displayed.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for providing the encoded signal includes a DVD ROM drive, and wherein the decoder is an MPEG decoder.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the signal is analyzed for spatial redundancy in an image, and wherein correlated areas are selected as having spatial redundancy.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 the image signal representing a plurality of images, wherein the signal is analyzed for temporal redundancy in the plurality of images, and wherein the artifacts are inserted into a selected area of one image, but not a correlated area of another image.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first artifact change includes making intensity changes in a luminance component of the selected area; and wherein the at least one other artifact change includes making saturation changes in a chrominance component of the selected area to perceptively balance out the intensity changes in the luminance component.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the artifact changes include selecting an artifact pattern having a luminance component and a chrominance component; matching hue of the artifact pattern with hue of the selected area; adjusting intensity of the luminance component of the artifact pattern to fit within the selected area; and changing saturation of the hue of the artifact pattern to fit within the selected area.

25. An article of manufacture for a processor, the article comprising: memory; and a plurality of executable instruction encoded in the memory, the instructions, when executed, causing the processor to pick a candidate area of the image, analyze the candidate image for redundancy, select a redundant area having minimal detail, generate compressibility-reducing artifacts for a luminance component and at least one chrominance component of the selected area; and add the artifacts to the luminance and chrominance components of the selected area, the artifacts being added to the components of the selected area such that the artifacts are perceptively balanced.

26. The article of claim 25, wherein the signal is analyzed for spatial redundancy in an image, and wherein correlated areas are selected for an image having spatial redundancy.

27. The article of claim 25, the image signal representing a plurality of images, wherein the signal is analyzed for temporal redundancy in the plurality of images, and wherein the artifacts are inserted into a selected area of one image, but not a correlated area of another image.

28. The article of claim 25, wherein the first artifact change includes making intensity changes in a luminance component of the selected area; and wherein the at least one other artifact change includes making saturation changes in a chrominance component of the selected area to perceptively balance out the intensity changes in the luminance component of the selected area.

29. The article of claim 25, wherein the artifact changes include selecting an artifact pattern having a luminance component and a chrominance component; matching hue of the artifact pattern with hue of the selected area; adjusting intensity of the luminance component of the artifact pattern to fit within the selected area; and changing saturation of the hue of the artifact pattern to fit within the selected area.